REEF's online programs are free and open to everyone! Here's what is coming up over the next several weeks:
Fishinar: Eels of Hawaii
Monday, July 19 at 8pm EDT
Join us for tips and tricks to identify the Eels of Hawaii with expert surveyors Ron Wolfe and Dennis Bensen. Whether you're an avid Hawaii surveyor, or just looking to expand your knowledge on Hawaii's marine life, this Fishinar will be lots of fun!
Register here.
There's still time to enter REEF's 2021 'Discover the Sea' Photography Contest! You may submit up to three photos in each of the five categories: fish portrait, macro, invertebrates, REEF themed, and reefscape/habitat. Photos may be submitted until July 31. Photos will be judged using a popular vote, beginning on August 2. Winning photos will be featured on REEF’s website, social media and other communications channels. For complete details including rules and policies, visit this page.
[Photo by Bryant Turffs]
REEF members are the heart of our grassroots marine conservation programs. A diverse community of divers, snorkelers, and ocean enthusiasts support our mission to conserve marine environments worldwide.
Introducing our July 2021 Fish of the Month, the Hawaiian Whitespotted Toby (Canthigaster jactator))!
You’re invited to REEF’s Florida Keys Lionfish Derby & Festival! This year’s event is taking place on Sept. 9-12, 2021, and features two full days of lionfish hunting, followed by a family-friendly festival hosted at Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina in Islamorada. Click here for all the details.
All are invited to join us for REEF Fest 2021 on October 14-17 in Key Largo, Florida! REEF Fest is the perfect opportunity to experience the underwater world of the Florida Keys by diving, snorkeling, or kayaking. You can join REEF staff and marine life experts on the mornings of Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16, as we explore diverse ocean habitats like coral reefs and mangrove trails.
Welcome to the Citizen Science Corner, our quarterly feature to acknowledge those who recently reached a milestone in our Volunteer Fish Survey Project. We are celebrating those who moved up an Experience Level or who achieved the 2021 Super Surveyor Challenge in April, May, or June 2021.
Predation by the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish impacts native fish populations within the Caribbean region and threatens to expand further into Brazil and the Mediterranean. Identifying the range-restricted native fish species with high predation vulnerability in these areas ahead of the invasion front combined with the knowledge of the time a lionfish population typically takes to reach dangerously high densities could help conservation planners attain positive outcomes and reduce biodiversity loss.
Four-day Florida Keys event includes diving, snorkeling, kayak tours, ocean seminars, and socials
This paper evaluates population trends in Giant Pacific Octopus (GPO) in the Pacific Northwest using REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project data and other data sources. The authors found large changes in GPO abundance linked to average water temperatures. GPO sighting frequencies ranged from a high of 39% to a low of 11%. For every additional degree increase of 4-year average temperatures, the Puget Sound GPO sighting frequency dropped about 19 points. That’s a loss of roughly 75% of typical diver sightings for every degree C.
